Britain has faced harsh criticism from its Gulf partners after an Iranian missile attack escalated tensions in the Middle East. Regional allies say the British government has been too slow to respond to threats and has delayed key military decisions at critical moments.Britain’s allies in the Gulf and Cyprus have expressed concern that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer did not act quickly to protect the region and British nationals amid recent Iranian missile attacks. Bahraini and Emirati officials have privately questioned Britain’s response and its defense posture around Cyprus, where Britain has two military bases, The Times reported.
The UK has a naval support facility in Bahrain with approximately 300 service personnel. The base is close to the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, which was attacked by Iranian missiles. British Defense Secretary John Healy said the missile landed less than 200 meters from British troops.Frustration among Gulf partners also stems from the United States’ delay in allowing the use of joint military bases, including the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, to conduct defensive air strikes against Iranian missile sites. Starmer eventually granted the request on Sunday night, but allies believed the delay was the result of a slow response during the escalating conflict.The military deployment has also drawn criticism. British F-35 and Typhoon aircraft based in Cyprus have been conducting defensive missions to intercept Iranian missiles and drones. However, the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon will not set sail for Cyprus until next week as the ship is taken out of service for maintenance and the installation of required weapons.A Western official told The Times (UK) that Britain’s chief of defense staff received a proposal to deploy the destroyer HMS Dragon at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, four days after the conflict began and nearly two days after a drone attack on the Royal Air Force Base in Akrotiri, Cyprus. The proposal was then passed on to ministers and quickly approved.Further reinforcements are planned. Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters equipped with Martlet missiles designed to deal with aerial threats are expected to arrive in Cyprus within days.Cypriot officials welcomed the support but said aid was coming slowly. Cypriot High Commissioner to the UK Kyriakos Kouros said the deployment of HMS Dragon was “welcome” but noted that it would take more than a week for the ship to reach the area. He compared Britain’s timetable with that of other allies.“The French are coming,” Couros said. “We at least expect the British to show up as well because, as I said, we are not just defending the Cypriots on the island.”Tensions were further heightened after reports that Starmer was delaying approval of US use of British bases due to opposition within the cabinet. This hesitation has reportedly angered Gulf governments, particularly the United Arab Emirates, where most of the 300,000 Britons living in the region live.A source familiar with the UAE’s concerns told The Times (UK) there was a feeling the prime minister had to be forced to approve, adding that the incident reflected badly in the eyes of the GCC.Cabinet ministers including Ed Miliband, Rachel Reeves and Shabana Mahmoud raised objections to allowing the United States to launch attacks on Iran from British bases at a National Security Council meeting on Friday, The Spectator reported.The decision was approved on Sunday after allies in the region were already under attack.In the House of Commons, Starmer defended his previous hesitation, saying there was initially no legal basis or clear plan of action. A Downing Street spokesman said the government would not comment on discussions at the National Security Council and insisted the final decision had the support of Cabinet.The government said it had beefed up military defenses in the area. A spokesman said Typhoon fighter jets and F-35 fighter jets flying from Cyprus and Qatar had been conducting defensive flights and intercepting Iranian drones.Officials added that Britain has deployed more radar systems, air defense assets and F-35 jets to Cyprus since January, and Typhoon aircraft to Qatar. Current reinforcements include Wildcat helicopters equipped with Martlet missiles and the destroyer Dragon planned to deploy to the Eastern Mediterranean.The British government also confirmed that the prime minister had authorized the United States to use British bases for defense missions against Iran’s missile capabilities, adding that the UK remained prepared to protect its troops and regional allies.
